Health and Fitness : Dr. Viner\'s Ear, Nose, and Throat specialty clinic in Vinton

Dr. Thomas Viner and staff members at VGH

Dr. Thomas Viner and four assistants make an early morning commute from Iowa City to Vinton every other week. They provide specialized head and neck medical attention for patients in Benton County and the larger area VGH serves.

Why travel to Vinton?

“For starters, we really like the people and the community,” Dr. Viner said. “Vinton is a great place and I like supporting local hospitals.”

“I grew up in the small town of Leon, Iowa, “ Dr. Viner shared, “and my father was a physician there. He started his practice in ’49. I did a year of general practice with him after graduating medical school in 1974. After that year I returned to the University of Iowa for residency in ear, nose, and throat (ENT). I continued to go to Leon three times a month to see head and neck patients - that was back when specialists really didn’t go out to make services available to patients in smaller communities.”

Among Dr. Viner’s travel companions are staff members who facilitate appointments and keep the schedule organized and a nurse to assist him, and one person who enters information in the computer. Dr. Viner explains why there’s one person just for information management by saying, “I need her because I think the patient is the one deserving my attention, not the computer.”

The ENT specialty includes hearing, sinus issues, and throat symptoms. “I also see a good number of pediatric patients for tonsils and tubes. Our practice also deals with sleep issues and allergies. From a surgical perspective,” said Viner, “we also treat tumors of the head and neck.”

Many patients inclined to visit a hearing aid company might find themselves better served by visiting an ENT.

“As physicians we’re looking at the broader picture of hearing loss,” Dr. Viner says. “We can screen people carefully to make sure the patient will benefit from hearing aids while also making sure there isn’t an underlying cause we need to treat, like a tumor. It’s also important to rule out other pathologic causes of hearing loss and we consider conductive tissues of the ear that we might be able to treat and that actually might be the root cause of the problem.”

Dr. Viner also said, “Many hearing aid companies are good and they help patients who can benefit from sound amplification. But with today’s complex digital hearing aids and the tuning they require, having someone who is well trained, always available, and willing to work closely with the patient is more important than ever if the patient’s needs are going to be met. All the bells and whistles a patient can get today can really drive the cost up. It’s important, before spending a lot of money on those bells and whistles, to make sure they’re going to help.”

In addition to Dr. Viner's Ear Nose and Throat clinic, VGH has visiting specialists on site at regular dates practicing in Podiatry, Cardiology, Pain Management, Nephrology, Gynecology, Orthopedics, Psychiatry, Pulmonology, and Urology.